PTT-100 22 gram Solar Argos/GPS PTT

In response to requests for ever smaller PTTs, in 2007 we introduced our 22g solar. Though smaller in size, this PTT retains the features of the larger versions. It is programmable for up to 5 seasons of duty cycles, incorporates our SiV™ technology, and retains that feature which is so critical to all our solar PTTs: it is microprocessor controlled and contains a battery, thus allowing data collection and transmission at night.

This PTT comes standard with our latest firmware which records locations in 2D. This saves power and allows more location data to be relayed each Argos message. More location data per message increases the chances of receiving full datasets in areas where radio interference affects Argos reception, for example, Europe and East Asia.

We have been working for years to find ways to mitigate the impact of radio interference on data return through Argos. 2D programming offers some advantages over 3D programming in this regard. The 2D GPS data messages carry 5 locations at one hour of the day for the 5 previous days. If only one 2D GPS message sent by the PTT were to get through to Argos, the user would still have a location for the bird for the past 5 days. If the PTT is programmed to upload data to Argos more often than every fifth day, the structure of the GPS message would result in transmission of redundant data, as the newest locations in the message transmitted to Argos one day would be the oldest locations in the message transmitted on the next Argos transmission day. In areas where severe radio interference greatly reduces the number of messages that can reach the satellite, this redundancy can help to minimize data loss. This model is also available with optional 3D firmware.

Features

Internal sixteen channel micro power GPS receiver

GPS accuracy ± 18m

Solar powered

Microprocessor controlled battery charge management to allow the PTT to charge during the day and collect data and transmit at night

Temperature, Battery Voltage & Activity sensors

SiV™ transmission schedule optimized for the new JTA* schedule: the PTT transmits only at times when the likelihood of a satellite pass is greatest, and to contain Argos costs the PTT is programmed to transmit data during only 2 Argos billing quadrants on the transmission day

Programmable for up to 5 duty cycle seasons (defined by mm/dd calendar dates)

Programmed to take GPS fixes at user-specified hours, and to transmit at user specified intervals

Optional 3D firmware

GPS parsing software that outputs locations into easily manageable data files and kml maps that can be viewed in Google Earth™